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It
was the era of gang wars and bathtub gin, but
the "Roaring Twenties" were fairly quiet
on the campus of a young teaching school in northwest
Ohio, Bowling Green State Normal College. The
quietness was broken in 1923 by the sounds of
the first Men's Glee Club. The chorus began touring
Ohio and later sang as far away as Chicago and
Niagara Falls. Unfortunately, the group's first
golden age dimmed bit by bit as World War II pulled
away the choristers. The once-great group contained
only 15 members when it disbanded. The chorus
was reunited after the war, and in the late 1940s,
the baton passed to Dr. James Paul Kennedy. Under
his direction, the chorus survived until 1953.
The
sound of men's voices raised in song vanished
from the campus until 1971, when Professor Richard
D. Mathey revived the group. From a membership
of 12, the chorus has grown into the active touring
chorus it is today, with a membership well above
100. Mathey retired in 2000 after an incredibly
successful 28 years at the helm. William Skoog, Director of Choral Activities at BGSU, took over the baton in 2001.
You can read more about Dr. Skoog in the Director
section of this site.
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Richard
D. Mathey
1971-2000
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Dr.
William Skoog
Current Director
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